National Spicy Guacamole Day

Description

National Spicy Guacamole Day celebrates a spicy variation of the avocado based dip or spread, guacamole. Guacamole was first made by the Aztecs, who lived in what is now central Mexico, between the 14th and 16th centuries. The name guacamole means "avocado sauce" in Nahuatl, the Aztec language, and many times it is simply called "guac" in the United States. To make the dip, avocados and sea salt are mashed with a mortar and pestle, and ingredients such as garlic, onion, tomato, peppers, lemon or lime juice, cilantro, and cumin are added. Spicy guacamole usually also includes hot peppers such as jalapeno, serrano, or cayenne. The most popular avocados for making guacamole are Hass avocados. Guacamole is most often served with tortilla chips, but it can be used in many other ways. A great amount of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo. The popularity of guacamole in the United States has grown in recent years, and this can partly be attributed to a lift on a ban on the importation of avocados, as well as the growth of the Latino population in the United States.

National Spicy Guacamole Day is observed next on Wednesday, November 14th, 2018. It has always been observed annually on November 14th.

How to Observe

Although store-bought guacamole is available, in order to fully celebrate the holiday, you should make your own fresh spicy guacamole. When picking out an avocado at the store, make sure to pick one that softens a bit when you apply pressure. If the store only has unripened avocados, they may take four or five days to be ready, but you can speed up the process by putting them in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple. The best way to open an avocado is to cut it lengthwise and twist it. The seed can be easily removed with a spoon. There are many different variations of guacamole and ways to make it, but today you should be making it spicy. If you have leftover guacamole make sure to seal it in a tight container, otherwise it will oxidize and turn brown. Adding some lemon and lime juice helps stop oxidation as well.

You can eat your spicy guacamole with chips, but it can also be eaten with vegetables or put on a sandwich. Sometimes guacamole is put on burgers, and even on fish, chicken, or pork. It can be used at anytime of the day, and could be put on an omelette for breakfast. It's quite healthy, being packed with vitamins, potassium, and healthy fats, although it is rather high in calories. Additionally, there is some indication that the capsaicin in hot peppers used to make spicy guacamole is healthy, and is helpful for digestive and cardiovascular health, as well as preventing cancer.

Friends could be invited over for this special day. Make spicy guacamole in advance, or have a guacamole bar set up for guests to snack on. You also could host a spicy guacamole making contest, and everyone could vote on their favorite spicy guacamole. Everyone could then share their recipes.